Is diversity still a challenge in the channel?

Over the past decade, initiatives to boost female representation have delivered visible improvements. We’ve seen targeted recruitment drives, more conversation about equity, and more female leaders in the industry. However, taking a closer look at the numbers and lived experiences reveals that the channel industry still has some way to go.

The UK’s technology workforce remains less than a quarter female, and over 60% of women in tech report having faced discrimination. Talent shortages remain a challenge - but that is just one side of the coin.

Entrenched structural and cultural barriers remain and often shape who thrives in this sector. As such, it's time to have an honest conversation about how technology leaders can level the playing field.

Looking at the roots of the issue

In reality, the gender imbalance begins long before women step into their first role. In schools, girls remain underrepresented in computer science and engineering programs. By university, there’s usually only a handful of female computing students.

Conscious and unconscious biases continue to compound the problem. Traits celebrated in male peers, like assertiveness and decisiveness, may sometimes get judged differently in women.

At the same time, many women continue to shoulder most caregiving responsibilities, and combining this with navigating a culture built around long hours and constant availability, it can feel like a game with no winners.

For workplace leaders, the challenge is reshaping an industry model built on assumptions that someone else is handling life outside work. Even progressive companies can replicate these norms unknowingly, creating environments that drain rather than develop female talent.

Empowering inclusion at every level

Attracting and retaining women in our industry requires us to challenge traditional workplace norms and to create environments where everyone can succeed. Inclusion should be embedded at every level, from hiring to everyday management. Similarly, workplaces must actively cultivate environments where people can bring their whole selves to work, without penalty or tokenism.

Indeed, in my experience, one of the best ways to empower female leaders in the channel is to make our organizations more inclusive to fathers. The conversation about inclusion too often stops at supporting mothers, yet genuine equality depends on enabling fathers to take on caregiving responsibilities without stigma.

When men feel empowered to take paternity leave, request flexibility, or step back temporarily from the career race, it normalises parenting responsibilities for everyone. It creates more equitable households and eases the pressure of feeling as though parents can only focus on their careers or the family.

Recruitment must also break from tradition. Too often, tech hires are sourced from the same narrow pools. Yet throughout my career, I have successfully recruited women from industries like hospitality, where customer service and agency translate incredibly well into sales and tech environments.

Most skills can be taught, and luckily, the most crucial traits – like communication, adaptability, and understanding business value – are just as plentiful outside of the industry when you know how to look.

Finally, a culture that values different perspectives produces better solutions and stronger customer relationships. In our fast-changing market, cognitive and experiential diversity is an advantage that we should not overlook.

With female consumers and decision-makers representing a growing share of purchasing power, companies that exclude women from shaping products and strategies are limiting both innovation and market insight. In other words, the moral argument for inclusion is just as powerful as the business one.

Building pathways for the next generation

For women starting in tech, the path can still be challenging - but it is no longer solitary. The visibility of female leaders, stronger networks, and flexible workplaces is reshaping what a tech career can look like. Companies that match words with actions, like publishing pay gap data, celebrating flexible working for parents, and demonstrating female leadership, create environments where women can thrive.

Equally, mentorship and community are more accessible than ever: there is now space for many women to elevate each other, not just compete for a single seat at the table.

The rules of the workplace were written for a different era, and the time has come to rewrite them. If the channel can build technologies that change how the world works, it can certainly build workplaces where women thrive every day.

True progress will come when equality is not a headline or a program, but the way this industry works, from the first rung to the boardroom.